The Fog of Airyll COMPLETE

Chapter 16

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On to the chapter! :D

Nephelle watched, as if in a trance, the woman moving with elegance in her direction. No matter how much she tried she couldn't shake the feeling that there was something about the way she walked that was familiar.

"It's nice to see you again - I thought for a moment you were dead." Her voice was little more than a whisper, as she stood in front of her, a fingertip touching her cheek.

"I almost did die." Closing her eyes, she found herself leaning towards the touch. Why, she wondered, did it feel soothing? Did she know the woman?

"It must have been terrifying, "she kept whispering, her voice filled with so much remorse that it made Nephelle wonder. Did this woman have something to do with her whole situation? "I'm so sorry about that... and I'm also sorry for being unable to help you right now."

Blinking, Nephelle stared at her. The woman in front of her exuded power and confidence, it was hard to believe her unable to do something... And yet, the regret, the sadness in her eyes also seemed real. What part of her was real?

"You can't?" Despite her conflicting feeling, Nephelle couldn't curb the disbelief in her voice and regretted it even as the woman's eyes darkened as if in pain.

"No. Things are bigger than just you and me right now... In fact, the way things are going, we should be heading into a war within a couple of days." A sad smile on her lips, the woman turned and walked away from her. "Nephelle, darling, you need to move fast to Ceresta. Only once you are there we'll be able to help you, to protect you... If you take too long, your memory will be gone forever."

"I know. We... we are already planning on heading to Ceresta." Admitting it felt right, despite the fact she wasn't entirely sure whether to trust this woman. "And I... I don't know if it would be so bad. Not remembering... I just... I need to find my family. If I have one. And... and this thing inside me. This... power..."

"I understand... Oh, how I understand..." she whispered, once more touching Nephelle's face. "And, yes, not all the things you are going to remember are going to be good. You might be happier without remembering them." Turning away from her, she ran her hands over a surface hidden underneath the cloudlike thing. "However, there are people you love, people who love you and you don't remember them. There are also things you learned, the important lessons that you are going to need now more than ever. Memories are part of us, Nephelle, they help us become what we are. Both the good and bad ones. If you lose them, you lose part of your essence, part of your magic..."

Cursing, Nephelle looked straight at her. "But I have new memories, and I can be a new person!" Dropping her gaze, she sighed. " I just... I don't want to fight a war."

Turning again to face Nephelle, the woman moved forward to lift her chin. Staring straight into her eyes, the woman took a deep breath. "The war is coming, whether you want or not - you can either face it or run away Nephelle. That's your choice. But think again if you think it will spare your new friends." Shaking her head, "The war spares no one, child. And there are more people that you care about than you can remember involved in it. After all, there is a reason you woke up underneath that tree, you know? Forgetting would be easier, yes, but a little selfish, don't you think?"